Motor vehicle
Usually a car, truck, motorbike, tractor, caravan or trailer.
A motor vehicle must have a vehicle identification number (VIN), chassis number or manufacturer’s number.
It is self-propelled property:
- built to travel wholly on land,
- capable of at least 10km/h, AND
- with one or more motors with total power greater than 200W.
It can also be:
- machinery or equipment with wheels built to be towed at more than 10km/h (e.g. a trailer).
If the property runs on rails, tram lines or other fixed path it is not defined as a motor vehicle.
Before 1 July 2014
The law changed on 1 July 2014 to narrow the definition of a motor vehicle.
Under the old definition, a motor vehicle had to:
- be capable of at least 10km/h, OR
- have one or more motors that have a total power greater than 200W.
Under the new definition, a motor vehicle must have both of these characteristics.
For more information, see regulation 1.7 of the Personal Property Securities Regulations 2010.
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